'The West Wing' and 'Californication' star Rob Lowe has revealed his embarrassment at having to admit to faking his saxophone performance at a Hollywood fundraiser. The actor, who also played a part in 'Parks and Recreation', was asked to give a live performance of his saxophone solo from the film 'St. Elmo's Fire', and decided to do so, despite not actually being able to play, and having mimed during the film.

The fundraiser was attended by former US President Bill Clinton, who plays the saxophone himself. After being asked by the band to perform with them, Lowe found himself unable to turn down the invitation, despite his esteemed audience. Lowe looks back on the incident, recalling: "The house band said, 'Why don't you come up and play the solo from 'St. Elmo's Fire'? We play it... it'll be fun'. President Clinton is in the audience [and] I'm blowing on [the saxophone], but nothing is coming out [because I removed the reed] and Quincy Jones, the great musical artist, [is clapping along]. I'm like, 'He should really know better'."

The 50-year-old star was confident in his belief that people hadn't realised that he wasn't actually playing the instrument. Apparently his performance was good enough to fool the former president, as he continued by saying: "I look out and President Clinton is [also praising the performance] and... now my ego gets the better of me and I walk off stage and am like, 'Yeah, how do you like that?'"

Furthermore, Lowe revealed that: "Two weeks later, I get a letter from President Clinton saying, 'I had no idea you were such an amazing saxophone player, I would love to do a duet with you.' Now I'm in a shame spiral and I'm like, 'I have to tell him.' So I call up the bandleader and he says, 'Oh no, he knows it's fake, he found out yesterday... Barbra Streisand told him'."